


If I held you any closer I'd be on the other side of you.

by werepope (quiteparadise)



Series: 2014 Advent Calendar for a Filthy-Minded Athiest [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Holidays, Lie in, M/M, Shaky pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-28 00:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2712998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiteparadise/pseuds/werepope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes growing up means shirking all plans and responsibilities.</p>
<p>A "What Forever Is" story.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Advent calendar challenge: cold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If I held you any closer I'd be on the other side of you.

Liam pushes an arm out from under the covers and turns the space heater up to high. It shouldn't be possible for a room to get as cold as this. It sure as hell shouldn't be legally allowed but, considering how little they pay a month for rent, it's not as if they can afford to sue over it. Thankfully it hasn't come to that. All their fingers and toes are still in place, not even particularly blue. It feels like a close call, though.

Liam jerks his arm back in so fast he elbows Zayn, who groans but doesn't move away. Body heat is too valuable to be wasted over something as trivial as an elbow to the ribs.

"Watch it," he complains, pulling the covers back up over his ears. Liam makes a wordless little noise of apology and burrows closer. The tip of his nose is cold against Zayn's bare collarbone but the rush of heat every time he exhales is worth it. Zayn puts a hand up the back of his shirt. One of his shirts.

This is what it's come to. Wearing layers in bed.

"Happy Christmas, huh?"

Liam jostles closer, like such a thing is even possible. Like there's any room to lose or gain between them on their shit little futon. "No complaining," he reminds him, and Zayn really wishes he hadn't agreed to that.

When they'd figured out they couldn't afford to go home for Christmas, after they'd called their parents to share the bad news and offer what platitudes they could to make up for it, they'd sworn they would make the best of it. That they'd stay positive.

Neither of them can cook worth a damn but they found some cheap, dead simple recipes online and now the fridge is better stocked than it's been since before they moved in. They even got a tree – for a given value of "tree", anyway. It's plastic and sits lopsided in the base but it's theirs. Liam beamed when they plugged the lights in for the first time.

Zayn promised he wouldn't complain and he absolutely meant it at the time, but it's Christmas morning and all he can think about is how much he has to piss. It's so cold he doesn't want to risk moving an inch in fear of the sheets, cool to the touch all around him. There is no way he's getting out of bed for his bladder, let alone to start cooking.

Liam squirms and Zayn hisses. "You're letting air in."

"We can't stay in bed all day," Liam says. He has that determined tone, the one that means he knows he's in the right. "We'll warm up once we get moving."

"Prove it," Zayn says and shoves at Liam like he'll tumble him right out into the cold. Like he's that cruel. Liam grabs at his arms to drag him along for the ride, and Zayn knows he's that cruel. He goes limp to make himself as heavy as possible.

Liam laughs and pulls the blankets back up around their heads and kisses Zayn's chapped lips. "Lazy bones." He sounds almost disgustingly fond.

Zayn wraps an arm around Liam's neck, pulling him back in where he belongs, snug and warm. "It's a holiday. We're allowed to have a lie in."

Liam shifts until his shoulder isn't digging directly into a slat. They should save up for a real bed. Right after they get another space heater.

"Is an electric blanket for your birthday too much of an old person gift?" Liam asks. Zayn, already drifting back to sleep, rouses himself enough to press his scratchy cheek against Liam's forehead. It's a kind of acknowledgement, anyway.

A few moments later: "We're not that bad, babe."

"It's Christmas morning and we're not out of bed yet."

Zayn shrugs as well as he can with Liam's head on his shoulder. "Old people get up early." He smooths his palm across the bristle of Liam's hair, spiky and smooth in swathes from where he's slept on it.

"Not in winter," Liam argues. "In winter they stay in bed until their joints warm up." He doesn't know for sure, actually, but his own nan has arthritis in her knees something terrible. She doesn't get up unless she has to, some days. He has to remember to call her later.

Zayn snorts and rolls over onto his side, slotting their legs together with the ease of long practice. "You sore, Payno?"

Liam would point out that, if anyone were going to be sore this morning it'd be Zayn, who had his knees hiked almost all the way to his ears last night so they could fuck face to face. He doesn't get the chance to say anything, though, before Zayn kisses him slow and persistent.

"'M good," Liam assures him just as soon as he's able, nodding a bit. Zayn huffs a laugh right into his mouth as he rolls Liam over onto his back. He ducks under the covers completely to push down Liam's joggers and find out if he's wearing layers down there, as well.

He isn't, as it turns out.


End file.
